Climbing miniature rose plant named &#39;wekwapunk&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘WEKwapunk’ is a new variety of miniature rose plant with informal, semi-double blossoms of a unique muted russet and smoky lavender with orange centers. Having a columnar and spreading habit makes it suitable for decorative use in a garden or as a specimen plant. This new variety has an above average degree of resistance to powdery mildew and rust.

This new invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Miniature Rose Plant. Roses from this same breeding program that bare some resemblance to this new invention are ‘WEKroalt’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,518) and ‘WEKbecfoj’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,033). All have flowers with relatively few petals, similarly shaped broad petals, and similar irregular arrangement of those petals. All have an upright columnar and spreading growth habit. ‘WEKroalt’ bares semi-double flowers (about 8 to 12 petals) of striped and flecked red and white coloration. ‘WEKbecfoj’ bears single-petaled flowers (about 5 to 7 petals) of pastel pink and yellow-striped and flecked coloration. This new invention has semi-double flowers (about 9 to 15 petals) with no striping and is a blend of russet and oranges with a flushing of purples. This new invention and ‘WEKroalt’ are third generation descendents of MACel’ (non-patent) and ‘WEKbecfoj’ is fourth generation, being a descendent of ‘WEKroalt’.

This new invention may also be compared to ‘WEKpaltlez’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,155), also from this breeding program. Flowers of ‘WEKpaltlez’ have similar appearance, color wise, to those of this new invention. Both have a blend and flushing of colors to appear in the Greyed-Purple Group of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. ‘WEKpaltlez’ is a larger floribunda rose with plant habit and larger flowers having more petals than this new invention. ‘WEKpaltlez’ is first generation descendent of ‘HARwelcome’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,161). This new invention is second generation descendent of ‘HARwelcome’.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Rosa hybrida

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘WEKwapunk’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant. It was created in a greenhouse in Upland, Calif., by crossing the variety known as ‘CHEwpeachdell’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,287) as seed parent with ‘HARflow’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,478) as pollen parent. Upon recognition of the attributes of this plant within the progeny of the stated cross, it was elected for further testing and observation. Upon recognition that this plant was novel and expressed numerous superior and desirable traits as described below, the plant of this application was assigned an international recognition name of ‘WEKwapunk’.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

Its seed parent, ‘CHEwpeachdell’, is a shrub rose with a very upright to almost columnar growing habit of 5½- to 8½-feet in height, with very vigorous growth and double flowers of peach coloration measuring about 1¾- to 2¼-inches in diameter. Foliage is dark green and semi-glossy.

HARflow’, the pollen parent, is a larger-flowered floribunda with a height of about 3½- to 4¼-feet, producing double flowers of a golden yellow coloration, 3¾- to 4¼-inches in diameter. Foliage is medium green, and very glossy

This new invention has the upright and columnar growing habit, the dark green foliage and the flower size, all similar to its seed parent. Both of its parents have double flowers and this new invention has semi-double flowers, usually having fewer than half as many petals as either parent. While they all have a similar quantity of prickles, the prickles of ‘WEKwapunk’ are a lighter coloration than those of‘CHEwpeachdell’ and a darker coloration than the prickles of ‘HARflow’. The flowers on this new invention are a unique blend of russet and orange with a flushing of purples.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features that distinguish this new variety from other presently available rose cultivars of which we are aware is its unique flower color. Other distinguishing characteristics are the arrangement of its petals, its columnar and spreading growing habit, the coloring of its prickles, and its above average disease resistance. This new invention is a rose suitable for decorative use in a garden or as a specimen plant.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by cuttings as performed in Upland and Arroyo Grande, Calif., shows that the foregoing and other distinguishing characteristics continually come true to form. This new invention is easy to reproduce from softwood cuttings, taking 4 to 8 days to initiate root development under controlled greenhouse conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photograph illustrates the new variety and shows the flowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearly correct as it is possible to make in a color illustration of the character. Throughout this specification, color references and/or values are based upon The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description is of 1- to 1½-year-old rose plants of this new variety grown in 3½-inch plastic pots, in a soil-less mix of peat moss and coconut bark, grown outdoors in Arroyo Grande, Calif. in the month of October. Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climatic conditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

-   Flowers:     -   -   Blooming habit.—: ‘WEKwapunk’ blooms in flushes throughout             the growing season. Flowers are mostly borne singly but are             also borne in small clusters of 2 to 5.         -   Peduncles.—are about 1⅙-to 1⅛-inches in length with a             caliper of about 3/32-inch and usually straight unless             curved upward from a trailing branch. The surface is glossy             but with a moderate amount of soft prickles and occasional             hairs. The color is near 144A, a medium yellow-green. There             is often one or a pair of three-leaflet leaves at the base             of the peduncle, where it attaches to the stem.         -   Receptacles.—are urceolate, with a glossy surface of a             medium yellow-green, between 144A and 146A. There is a             smattering of fine, short appressed hairs on the surface.             The diameter is about ¼-inch with a height of about             5/16-inch. The top of the receptacle has a diameter of             9/32-inch. The top surface is glossy and glabrous, with a             light yellow-green color of near 154C. There is a fine ring             about 2/64-inch wide, of a Chrome Yellow near 15C-D, along             the outer edge where the stamens are attached. Just inside             this ring is another ring, about 3/64-inch wide of near 12C,             Aureolin. After the petals drop, the top surface of the             receptacle and the portion of the sepals then exposed to the             sun become flushed with near 181A.         -   Bud.—Before the calyx breaks, the bud is about 7/16- to             8/16-inch in length and 11/32- to 12/32-inch in diameter at             the widest point. The form is ovate with a truncate base.             Bud color is a very dark green, between 146A and 147A, with             no anthocyanin coloration and is semi-glossy. There are             stipitate glands and hairs on the outer two sepals,             concentrated near the base. Sepals extend beyond the tip of             the bud by about 9/32-inch.         -   Sepals.—are about 23/32- to 24/32-inch long and about 8/32-             to 9/32-inch wide at the widest point. They are ovate with             an ovoid base. The apex of the two outermost sepals is             acuminate and of the three innermost sepals is acicular. The             outer sepals have one or two acuminate foliar appendages             along each margin. The inside surface of all sepals is             pubescent and a color near 2C and near 191A near the             margins. The color of the outside surfaces is near 144C and             the outermost sepals are a darker yellow-green, between 146A             and 147A, along the margins while that same area along the             margins of the three innermost sepals is a little lighter             than that, between 144A and 146B. The color of the abaxial             surface of the foliar appendages on the outermost sepals is             noticeably a darker green, near 137A. The sepals roll back             ahead of the petals to a position tight against the peduncle             and remain that way until the peduncle drops or as the hip             forms.         -   Bloom.—size when fully expanded is 1⅓- to 2-inches in             diameter and ¾-inch deep. Petalage count ranges from 9 to 15             with 3 to 7 petaloids, irregularly arranged. Bloom form is             with a flattened convex upper profile and the lower profile             progresses from flattened convex to flattened concave.             Fragrance is slight. From the time the sepals first separate             until the petals drop is about 8 days.         -   Petals.—are thick with very good substance. The upper             surfaces are velvety and under surfaces are satiny. The             shape of the outer petals is oblate and the inner petals are             broad fan-shaped. The outer margins of all petals are             crescent shaped. The apex is apiculate, sometimes with a             small rounded notch on one or both sides of the tip. The             arrangement of the petals is over-lapping, not evenly             spaced, and there may be more petals and petaloids on one             side of the bloom than the other. Length of the outermost             petals is about 27/32-inch and the width is about 1-inch.         -   Color.—observed when the sepals first divide is a deep red,             near 45A. During the first few days the basal area of the             upper sides of the petals is a red-orange, between 32A and             33A. The remainder of the petals is very heavily flushed             with near 187A-B, from the Greyed-Purple Group, giving the             appearance of between 183A and 176A, a smoky-russet, and             near 183D along the outer edges. The point of attachment is             a medium yellow, between 9A and 2A. The underside of the             outer petals appears between 183C and 177B, with a basal             area of near 35A, Brick Red, and darker, near 34A, along the             margins. Where these colors blend together in the middle of             the under-surface the color is near 169A, a deep             grayed-orange. The point of attachment is a Dresden Yellow,             near 5C. Color of the inner petals is the same as the outer             petals except the upper surface is a little darker. The             reverse of the inner petals is a little lighter, near 177C,             with the basal area of between 34B and 35B and the point of             blending near 168A. The reverse of the inner petals may have             a streak of a Mimosa Yellow, near 8D, straight from the base             to the apex, or streaking of 8D on either side of the middle             vein. The point of attachment is still near 5C After a few             days the flower is usually full open and colors have             lightened. The upper surface of the outer petals appears             between 186C and 185C, a muted mauve. The basal area has             become between 39A and 41C, a muted medium-red. The point of             attachment is near 5C. The basal area of the underside of             the petals is near 48B, a muted, deep pink. The remainder of             the petal appears near 177A-B which may be the result of a             purple near 83A-B flushing over the near 48B. The point of             attachment is near 5D Color as the flower ages continues to             fade except at the point of attachment. From a distance the             flowers appear shades of muted russet and smoky lavender             throughout its flowering season. Closer observations reveal             flowers of a muted russet washed with purple having vivid             orange centers and yellow stamens, as well as older flowers             of a smoky lavender and less vivid orange centers. Petals             start to drop cleanly form the receptacle after eight days.         -   Petaloids.—may be deeply cleft; or only half a petal, and             with an oblique base, often with anthodium along the main             vein when the vein is along one side of the petaloid. Width             varies from 8/32- to 25/32-inch at the widest point. The             length averages between 25/32- and 26/32-inch but unusually             may be only 5/32-inch wide and 9/32-inch long. The color is             the same as that of the inner petals, with the exception of             any streaking along one side being near 29B, Carrot Red, on             the upper surface and near 19D, Egyptian Buff, on the             reverse in newly opened flowers. These colors also fade as             the bloom ages. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—are regularly arranged along the outer edge of             the top of the receptacle. The color of the top of the             receptacle where the stamens is attached is near 15C-D,             Chrome Yellow. The quantity of stamens was found to be             about 84. The color of the anthers is between 163B and 22C,             a grayed, yellow-orange. The color of the pollen sacs along             the edges of each anther is near 24A, Tangerine Orange.             Filaments are between ⅛- and ¼-inch, with the longer ones             being aligned furthest from the pistils. The color of the             filaments is a medium red, near 53D.         -   Gynoceium.—are bunched in the center of the receptacle. The             quantity varies between two-fifths and one-half as many as             the number of stamens. Styles are straight and of medium             thickness. The most common length was found to be 4/32-inch             but some were 5/32-inch long. The color of the styles is             near 53A, Cardinal Red. The color of the stigmas is a medium             pink, near 56B. No hips were observed. -   Foliage: Pinnately compound leaves are usually comprised of five-     and seven-leaflet leaves, and usually with three-leaflet leaves near     the base and tip of each stem. Leaflets are shaped moderately ovate     to somewhat oval with moderately acuminate apices and rounded bases.     Margins are fmely serrated with mostly simple serration. There are     glands of a medium grayed-red, near 181A, at the tip of each     serrate. The upper surfaces are glossy and glabrous with the main     and primary lateral veins noticeably recessed and secondary lateral     veins barely recessed. The undersides are matte with the main vein     protruding and only the primary lateral veins protruding to a small     degree. The length of mature leaves of the observed plants was 3⅞-     to 4½-inches when measured from stem to tip along the rachis. The     terminal leaflets are about 1½- to 1 15/16-inches long and ⅞- to     1-inch wide at the widest point. The upper surface of mature foliage     is a very dark yellow-green, near 147A. The undersurface is near     147B and the color of the central vein is much lighter, near 145A.     The upper surface of the new foliage is a medium green, between 144A     and 137A. The under surface of new foliage is between 143C and 146C     with some flushing of a color between 181A and 183C, heaviest toward     the margins. The main vein is lighter, near 145C.     -   -   Petioles.—vary in length from 1⅛- to 1½-inches on the             five-leaflet leaf and from 7/16- to 12/16-inch on the             seven-leaflet leaf. The length of the rachis on the             five-leaflet leaf is about 13/16-inch and on the             seven-leaflet leaf it varies from 7/16- to 12/16-inch. The             diameter of the petiole/rachis is about 1/16-inch. The             adaxial surface is moderately grooved with hairs in the             groove and hairs and stipitate glands along and near the             ridges. The quantity of hairs and glands differs on each             leaf from very few to a moderate amount. The color along the             ridges is the same as that of the leaflet blades while the             color in the groove is lighter, between 145B and 144D. The             color of the abaxial surface is between 145B and 144D. There             are hairs and stipitate glands randomly located on the             surface along with a prickle located at or near the juncture             with the leaflets.         -   Petiolules.—are the same as the rachis except the abaxial             surface is the same lighter color and same texture as that             of the main vein of the abaxial leaflet surface, near 145C.             The petiolule to the terminal leaflet usually has 1 or 2             soft prickles. Petiolules to the terminal leaflets on             five-leaflet leaves were measured at 21/32- to 24/32-inch             long. Petiolules to the terminal leaflets on seven-leaflet             leaves were measured at 20/32- to 22/32-inch in length.         -   Stipules.—are attached in even pairs to each side of the             petiole. On mature leaves they measure about 9/32-inch             attached to the petiole, regardless of the size of the leaf,             and ⅛-inch angled outward at about a forty degree angle from             the petiole. The color of the adaxial surface is near 145C             and the abaxial surface is near 139D. The part that is             angled outward is the same color as the corresponding leaf             surface. Margins appear loosely dentate with stipitate             glands. -   Growth: The plant has a columnar and spreading growing habit with     full branching and very vigorous growth. Canes are about 5 to 8 feet     in height and of medium caliper for the class. Flowering stems were     found to be 10¾- to 13 11/32-inches long, depending on how far down     on the plant they originate. The new wood is a medium yellow-green,     near 144A. Old wood is a darker green, between 137A and 143A. Old     wood may be almost entirely covered with grayed-brown lenticels of     near 199B. Prickles are straight and quickly narrow to acicular.     They vary in length from 1/16- to ¼-inch. Their base is elliptical     or oval and on secondary laterals is narrow-oval. The length of the     base varies from 2/32- to 7/32-inch. Quantities on the major canes     vary between 1 and 4 per inch of stem. On laterals, they may be     clustered, averaging between 7 and 11 per inch of stem. The color on     the major stems is a medium yellowed-brown, between 164B and 199B.     On the underside of the rachis/petiole their color is a much     lighter, muted green-yellow, near 162D. The plant displays an above     average degree of resistance to powdery mildew and rust as compared     to other commercial varieties grown under comparable conditions in     Upland and Arroyo Grande, Calif. It is showing good resistance to     black spot in early testing. The plant has been tested hardy in USDA     zones 5 through 10. 

1. A new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant is claimed, substantially as described and illustrated herein, with vigorous columnar and spreading growing habit and producing flowers of a novel coloration. 